Chapter 8
Even the suspicion that Rob had murdered his family and then committed suicide didn’t deter many from coming to the funeral to grieve the tragic loss of the Shepard family. Even the big Baptist church in downtown Plano, couldn’t accommodate all the family, friends, and supporters who showed up to pay tribute to the Shepard family. Many of them were forced into the church’s recreational building to watch the service on video.
As Stan feared the service was held at the same time as the Republican State Executive Committee meeting to replace Rob, so Stan missed the meeting. After the ceremony, Stan and Rebekah went up to Rob’s parents to give them their condolences. They’d met Marge and Tom Shepard once or twice at various functions and had hit it off quite well. Tom Shepard was a retired airline pilot, and Marge had been a ticket agent for the same airline. Currently, Tom helped Marge run a flower shop in downtown Plano.
“We are so sorry,” Rebekah said to Marge. “This whole thing is such a shock.”
“Yes, it is,” Marge agreed. “I still don’t understand any of it.”
“Don’t believe what the papers or the police are saying,” Stan advised. “It’s all a bunch of crap. I know Rob didn’t kill anyone.”
“Thank you, Stan,” Tom said. “I understand you’ve been doing your own investigation of the murders.”
“Where did you hear that?” Stan asked.
“Oh, I have my sources,” Tom replied.
“Well, the police and the Medical Examiner seem a bit too anxious to wrap up the investigation, and I can understand that. It’s nice when a case is simple and nobody has to work too hard.”
“Yeah. That’s typical for lazy government bureaucrats.”
“Anyway, I’m going to get to the bottom of this. I’m not going to let them drag Rob’s name through the dirt. He was a good man and he loved his family. I know that for a fact, so how could I stand by and do nothing.”
“Thank you,” Stan. “If I can help in any way, let me know. If you need any money—”
“I don’t want any money for me, but there might be some expenses that come up.”
“No problem. Just let me know how much you need.”
“What I do need now is some information from you.”
“What kind of information?”
“I understand Brad Thornton has been a longtime family friend,” Stan said.
“Yes, damn near part of the family. His dad and I have been good friends for years.”
“So, you know a lot about Brad?”
“Yes, I suppose I do.”
“Well, I need to find out as much about him and his business operations as possible. I think he may be the key to discovering the truth about what happened.”
“Okay. Why don’t you come over to the hose this afternoon, and we’ll answer any questions we can.”
“Good. I’ll do that.”
Stan and Rebekah said goodbye and then went to the reception to mingle. They talked to Kristina and some other friends and then ran into Officer Jenkins. Stan hardly recognized him garbed in a suit instead of his typical police uniform.
“Hey, Lynn,” Stan said. “This is my wife, Rebekah.”
“Hi, Rebekah.”
“I’m glad I ran into you. I’m meeting with the Shepards this afternoon to get background information on the Thorntons and wondered if you wanted to come too.”
“Okay. That could prove useful, and it will be nice to talk with Tom and Marge. I haven’t seen them in a while.”
“Good. I’ll see you at their place at three-thirty.”
“Okay. See you then.”
As they were about to leave the reception, Stan noticed Commissioner Barnes talking to a reporter. He wondered if the Commissioner had heard anything from the Republican State Executive Committee. Stan led Rebekah over to where they were talking. Barnes spotted Stan and perked up.
“Oh, here’s the man who made it all possible,” Barnes said to the reporter.
“Hi, Commissioner,” Stan said. “I’d like you to meet my wife, Rebekah.”
He bowed slightly and shook her hand lightly. “I was just telling Jim Bowers here that the State Republican Executive Committee’s decision to have me take Rob Shepard’s spot on the ballot wouldn’t have happened had it not been for you, Stan.”
“Oh, so they’ve made the decision? Congratulations!”
“Thank you. In fact, I was looking for your friend Kristina. I’d like her to be my campaign manager. I understand she’s a dynamo.”
Stan laughed. “She is that…and that’s great. She’ll be thrilled. I saw her earlier. She should be around here somewhere.”
“I’ll go find her,” Rebekah said, “and send her over this way.”
“Would you?” Barnes asked. “That would be most kind.”
“So, Mr. Turner,” Bowers asked. “I understand you don’t agree with the Medical Examiner’s determination that the Shepard family’s demise was the result of Rob Shepard’s actions.”
Stan raised his eyebrows. “Jeeze. Word spreads fast around this town.”
“I’ve got eyes and ears everywhere, my friend. I heard you shook up the detectives at the crime scene the other night.”
“I guess. . . . So the Medical Examiner has made a final determination?” Stan asked dejectedly.
“Yes. The official report was posted at noon–murder-suicide.”
“Jesus! . . . . I can’t believe this. He’s dead wrong. Rob would never have killed his family. He didn’t do it.”
“I don’t know. The crime scene looked pretty clear.”
“Not really,” Stan said bitterly. “I can’t believe he’s made a decision already. He hasn’t had time to do a proper investigation.” Stan sighed deeply. “Now I’m going to have to find out who the killer is myself to clear Rob’s name. . . . Like I have time for this.”
“You feel pretty strongly about it, I see.”
“Yes, I do, and I’m extremely disappointed with the police department and the Medical Examiner for taking the easy way out in this investigation.”
“Do you have any evidence to refute the Medical Examiner’s conclusion?”
“Yes, but I should probably read his report before I comment further. Perhaps there’s something in it that I haven’t heard about yet.”
“Mr. Turner, if someone else is responsible for these gruesome murders, aren’t you worried about your and your family’s safety if you continue to investigate this crime?”
“Yes, of course, and I’ll take whatever precautions are necessary to protect my myself and my family.”
“Good, because I don’t think anyone wants to ever see a tragedy like this again.”
Rebekah returned with Kristina, and Stan was glad she’d missed the last question Jim Bowers had thrown at him. She would have come unglued, he was sure of it.
“Did Rebekah tell you what I wanted?” Barnes asked Kristina.
“Yes. She said you want me to be your campaign manager.”
“Yes, and I understand you already have a campaign all mapped out.”
“I do. This is wonderful. And here I thought all my hard work was going to go to waste.”
“No. We should get together tomorrow and rework your plan so it fits me.”
“Absolutely,” Kristina said, smiling broadly.
Bowers directed his attention to Kristina. “So, Ms. Tenison, do you think the Commissioner can win, getting in the race at this late date?”
“Oh, absolutely. He’s the perfect candidate to step in at the last minute. Everybody knows him and he has an impressive track record.”
Stan and Rebekah slipped away while Kristina was being interviewed, as they had to get home and relieve the babysitter. On the way home Stan thought about what Bowers had said about protecting his family. He wondered if the FBI would keep Rebekah and the kids under surveillance too. He vowed to bring that up with Agent Rutledge the next time he talked to her.
On the way to the S
hepard’s place Stan wondered what questions he should ask them. He didn’t know exactly what he or the FBI was looking for, so he finally decided to just start asking whatever came to mind and hope something would turn out to be useful.
He told Rebekah he’d only be a few hours and then left. The Shepards lived in a restored mansion in Central Plano. It was a beautiful yellow Queen Ann styled home with fish-scale shingles, a circular two-and-a-half-story tower, large wrap-around porch, and two-panel glass windows.
“You have a beautiful home,” Stan said as he stepped into the house.
“Thank you,” Marge said. “We’ve put a lot of work into the restoration, and it’s turned out quite nice.”
“When was it first built?” Stan asked.
“Around the turn of the century,” Marge said. “Go on into the den. Can I bring you coffee or a cold drink?”
“Coke would be good if you have it.”
Stan walked into the den where Officer Jenkins and Tom Shepard were already talking. He smiled when they looked over at him.
“Hi.”
“Hey, Stan! Come on in and have a seat.”
Stan sat in a big stuffed chair, and a second later, Marge brought him a glass of Coke.
“Lynn and I have been doing a little catching up. It’s been a while since we’ve talked.”
Stan nodded. “Right.”
“So, you wanted to know about Brad Thornton?” Tom asked.
“Yes. I understand he recently sold his business?”
“Uh huh. He had a string of lumber yards with a partner, Brett Townsend. They got at odds, so Townsend bought Brad out for a nice chunk of change, or so the rumors go.”
“Do you think the rumors are accurate?” Stan asked.
“I kind of doubt it. The lumber yards were close to bankruptcy, I was told. That’s one of the reasons they got at odds. They had different philosophies about how to turn things around. So, I seriously doubt Brad got all that much money when he was bought out.”
“Is Brad the type to exaggerate things, or is he a straight shooter?”
“Exaggerates is a nice way to put it. Actually, you can’t believe anything Brad tells you. He likes to impress people—you know, dazzle them with brilliance or buffalo them with bullshit.”
Stan laughed. “Okay. I understand he has a home in Maui.”
“That’s true. We stayed there a week last year. Don’t ask me how he can afford something like that. It must have cost him a mint, and the upkeep must be incredible.”
“What can you tell me about his recent investment, Silver Springs?”
“That was a pretty slick little development. He told me one day he had a client who was looking for an investment project. The guy had lots of cash and wasn’t afraid to dump a lot of it into a project if it would pay off at the other end. Brad spent a lot of time scouring north Texas to find something appropriate, and Silver Springs was what he came up with.”
“So, Brad didn’t use any of his own money on that project?”
“Nah. I don’t think he had any, if you want my opinion.”
“Was this investor Tony Rubio?” Officer Jenkins asked.
“I don’t know. I never met the investor. I met Carlos Morales, his CFO, but he never really said who he worked for.”
“Do you know how much he invested in Silver Springs?” Jenkins asked.
“Ten million was a number I heard once or twice. You’ve got to understand I just heard bits and pieces of conversations. Brad didn’t confide in me that much.”
“Can you check on Carlos Morales?” Stan asked Jenkins.
Jenkins shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “Not officially. I might be able to sneak onto the computer while nobody is looking and run a search.”
“Does Carlos Morales have an office in Texas, or does he just show up from time to time?”
“He used to have an office out at Silver Springs, but I’m not sure if he still does, particularly with the feds investigating the venture. He’s probably back in Mexico by now.”
“Does Brad have anybody who works for him that might be capable of murder—someone who does his dirty work, perhaps?” Stan asked.
“That would be Todd Watson,” Tom replied. “He’s a thug Brad met in the army when he served in Vietnam. Brad hired him on for security out at Silver Springs, but he’s also Brad’s driver and bodyguard.”
“Can you check him out too, Lynn?” Stan asked.
“I’ll add him to the list, but I can’t spend a lot of time on the computer without getting caught.”
“I understand. Just do what you can without getting in trouble,” Stan said, looking at Jenkins. He turned back to Tom, “Do you know anybody Watson hangs around with, a girlfriend perhaps?”
“Why?” Tom asked.
“Oh, I’d like to find out if he has an alibi. I’m sure he won’t tell me anything, but I might be able to get the information from his girlfriend if I knew who she was and how to find her.”
“I’ve seen him with a blond a time or two. I’ll see if I can find out her name and get her address,” Marge replied.
“What about Brad’s wife Melissa? Is she involved in Brad’s businesses?”
“No. She’s active in the community—Junior League, her kid’s school, and the Baptist church,” Marge replied.
“How’s the marriage? Is it stable, or have there been rifts?” Stan asked.
“It’s been stable. I don’t see Melissa providing any information against her husband,” Marge said.
The meeting continued on a while as one question led to another. When it was over, Stan thanked them and left. While he and Officer Jenkins were walking to their cars, Stan asked him about security. He knew the FBI had promised to keep an eye on him, but they hadn’t said anything about his family.
“You know, that newspaper reporter had a good point. What’s going to stop the lunatic who killed Rob and his family from coming after me and my family once he finds out I’m on his trail.”
Jenkins nodded. “That’s been worrying me too. I know a guy who can install a good security system for you. You’ll have to punch in a code when you come and go from your house. It’s a pain in the ass, but it’s worthwhile. He can also set you up a panic alarm that will alert the police if you push a button. I’ve already put your house on the list for extra patrols.”
“Oh, great. That makes me feel a lot better.”
“You better have Rebekah take your kids to school and pick them up—no buses, and definitely don’t let them walk to school.”
“She does that already,” Stan said.
“Okay. That takes care of your family. I don’t know what to do about you. I guess you could carry a gun.”
“Right, so they can set me up for a murder-suicide too.”
Jenkins chuckled. “Yeah, you’re probably right. You’d be no match for a professional hit man from one of the cartels anyway. You better let me do the snooping around. They won’t mess with a police officer, but a civilian they’ll have no qualms about wasting.”
Stan thanked Lynn for his help and left. On the way home he stopped at a pay phone and reported to Agent Rutledge what he had learned so far.
“You probably already knew all of this,” Stan said. “I didn’t know precisely what to ask.”
“No. You did fine. Thornton lawyered up so we don’t know a whole lot about him right now. Just keep asking questions.”
“Oh, I’m having a security system put in at the house, since I doubt you’re going to be able to watch both me and Rebekah.”
“No. We don’t have that kind of manpower. That’s a good idea.”
“So, is there anything in particular you’d like me to do right now? Anybody I should be talking to?”
“Yes, why don’t you take your family out to Silver Springs Lake. Just act like your are a potential customer. The manager out there hasn’t been particularly candid, but she might open up to you.”
“Sure, I’ve actually been anxious to see the place
. It will be a fun outing for the family.”
“Okay. Let me know what you learn,” Agent Rutledge said.
“I will,” Stan replied and hung up.
The next morning, Rebekah dug through the newspaper to find the article about the Shepard funeral. She was surprised to see another article about Stan’s investigation into the Shepard murders. She brought the article to him at the breakfast table.
“Stan, why did you talk to this Bowers guy? Look at this article! Now whoever killed Rob and his family will be watching you like a hawk.”
“I know. I’m sorry. The guy caught me off guard. I’ve already talked to Lynn, and he’s sending a guy out to install a security system. They also have our house on a special police watch list. I don’t think anyone will bother us.”
“What about you? I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“The FBI will be watching me.”
“Only if you’re doing something specific for them on the Thornton case. They’re not going to be watching you when you’re out looking for Rob and Cindy’s killer.”
“I’ll be careful. Don’t worry. I’m going to let Jenkins handle all the sensitive stuff. I’ll just do the background investigation and help on the periphery.”
Rebekah rolled her eyes. “Uh huh. I’ll believe that when donkeys sing. Why don’t you just stay out of it? You don’t have to make this thing right. It’s not your responsibility.”
“Do you want the Shepard family’s murderer to get away scot free?”
“No, of course not, but I don’t want to lose you or my family.”
Stan sighed. “Seriously, I won’t do anything too dangerous.”
“You better not,” Rebekah said sternly. “It’s your children’s lives you’re messing with.”
Stan swallowed hard. He knew he should just back off and let it alone. After all, he couldn’t bring Rob and his family back. But the thought of people thinking of his friend as a murderer mortified him. He couldn’t let that perception stand. The record had to be set straight.